Poetry AnalysisTP-CASTT

TITLE

PARAPHRASE

Before you even think about reading the poetry or trying to analyze it, speculate on
what you think the poem might be about based upon the title. Often time authors
conceal meaning in the title and give clues in the title. Jot down what you think this
poem will be about
Before you begin thinking about meaning or tying to analyze the poem, don't overlook
the literal meaning of the poem. One of the biggest problems that students often make
in poetry analysis is jumping to conclusions before understanding what is taking place
in the poem. When you paraphrase a poem, write in your own words exactly what
happens in the poem. Look at the number of sentences in the poemyour paraphrase
should have exactly the same number. This technique is especially helpful for poems
written in the 17th and 19th centuries. Sometimes your teacher may allow you to
summarize what happens in the poem. Make sure that you understand the difference
between a paraphrase and a summary.

C CONNOTATION

Although this term usually refers solely to the emotional overtones of word choice, for
this approach the term refers to any and all poetic devices, focusing on how such
devices contribute to the meaning, the effect, or both of a poem. You may consider
imagery, figures of speech (simile, metaphor, personification, symbolism, etc), diction,
point of view, and sound devices (alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhythm, and rhyme). It is
not necessary that you identify all the poetic devices within the poem. The ones you do
identify should be seen as a way of supporting the conclusions you are going to draw
about the poem.

Having examined the poem's devices and clues closely, you are now ready to explore
the multiple attitudes that may be present in the poem. Examination of diction, images,
and details suggests the speaker's attitude and contributes to understanding. You may
refer to the list of words on Tone that will help you. Remember that usually the tone or
attitude cannot be named with a single word Think complexity.

ATTITUDE

Rarely does a poem begin and end the poetic experience in the same place. As is true
of most us, the poet's understanding of an experience is a gradual realization, and the
poem is a reflection of that understanding or insight. Watch for the following keys to
shifts:
key words, (but, yet, however, although)

SHIFTS

punctuation (dashes, periods, colons, ellipsis)

stanza divisions
changes in line or stanza length or both
irony
changes in sound that may indicate changes in meaning
changes in diction

T
T

TITLE
THEME

Now look at the title again, but this time on an interpretive level. What new insight
does the title provide in understanding the poem.
What is the poem saying about the human experience, motivation, or condition? What
subject or subjects does the poem address? What do you learn about those subjects?
What idea does the poet want you take away with you concerning these subjects?
Remember that the theme of any work of literature is stated in a complete sentence.

Poetry AnalysisTP-CASTT.doc

TITLE

PARAPHRASE

C CONNOTATION

ATTITUDE

SHIFTS

TITLE

THEME